Endangered Birds

From sea to shining sea

The United States was once home to a rich and diverse avian population, with birds such as the passenger pigeon, the Carolina parakeet and the dusky seaside sparrow winging through our skies. But several centuries of land development, hunting and human encroachment has thrown our nation’s birds into crisis, resulting in extinction for some and threatened status for many. Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that as many as 91 species are threatened or on the verge of extinction. Here are 10 birds currently under threat in the United States, including the Hawaiin geese pictured here. (Text: Katherine Butler)

Golden-cheeked warbler

The endangered golden-cheeked warbler, or Setophaga chrysoparia, lives and breeds in central Texas — specifically around the Edwards Plateau, Lampasas Cut Plain and Central Mineral Region. Ranching, agriculture and land development have contributed to the decline of this small, smart bird’s habitat. And while habitat destruction destroys its nesting grounds in Texas, deforestation in Central America is wiping out its wintering lands. There are no current reliable estimates on how many of the birds remain.

(source:google/http://www.mnn.com)